Reviving the Dehydrated Church

“The present-day Church is dehydrated spiritually … suffering from
all of the effects of dehydration—toxins in the body,
confusion, and memory loss …”

A close study of Amos 8:11 will reveal that there are times when God judges His people through drought and famine, but there will be another type of famine that is even more severe. There will be a famine of being able to hear the Word of God from true prophets of God. This warning became a reality for the people of the old covenant and has taken place at various times since the birth of the Church. It is probably more severe presently than at any time in history. The present day Church, as a whole, is in severe famine; she suffers from an absence of true prophets with true prophetic words from God, and most Christians like it so. They are so geared to and accustomed to things as they are that they really do not want things to change.

The present-day Church is dehydrated spiritually. It is suffering from all the effects of dehydration—toxins in the body, confusion, loss of memory of God and His Word of truth. Her spiritual dehydration causes her to be focused on herself and her needs and desires, for the most part. If she reaches out, it is often because of the warm feeling she will receive. What is the solution? She needs to be rehydrated and then to remain hydrated!

The Church needs to repent of not knowing God intimately and His Word thoroughly. She needs to be continually washed in the water of the Word. If the Church will repent and cry out to God with a heart that is serious and determined to walk in the Spirit, the Lord will hear from Heaven and will rain His Spirit and His truth upon His people. He has been preparing prophets in the wilderness who are ready to bring restoration and revival to His Church.

For the Church to fulfill 2 Chronicles 7: 14, she must be willing to do some real and serious soul searching which will lead to the acknowledgment that she is in need of restoration and revival. There are many in the Church who will not respond; they have fallen so far away from God that they are not willing to repent, but there are also many who will repent. Some of them will respond to truth when they hear it. Others will have to go through some shaking before they will really hear and respond, but they will eventually respond, thanks be to God.

Restoration and revival can begin with a few willing and dedicated disciples. What better time is there for forsaking all to follow Christ? Will you humble yourself and give your all to Jesus the Christ? Will you yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to open the truth of God’s Word to you? Will you begin washing yourself in the water of God’s Word, and will you teach that Word to all who have ears to hear? God bless you as you do. Let’s do what will prepare us and many others for the future appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
_____________________________

Study this week: Jer. 5:20-25; Matt.13:13-16; Mark 4:10-12; Col.1:24-27; Isa.55:6-7.

Addressing Discernment in the Charismatic Movement

“Could it be that God is using situations that have become public
to wake up His disciples to discern by the Spirit
and not by the newspaper?”

For a moment please forget any names that are being addressed presently in the "Charismatic movement." Is it possible that there are some ministers in the Church who are not “fallen,” but have been false from the beginning? Could it be that God is using situations that have become public to wake up His disciples to discern by the Spirit and not by the newspaper? Not all false ministers work in the occult or satanic churches. The Bible warns that Satan will infiltrate the Church with his ministers disguised as real ministers. They will be very capable preachers who preach a lot of truth but, if not from the beginning, will eventually and gradually begin to sneak in the devil’s leaven.

What is it that people are really concerned about with those things that have become public knowledge? Could it be that we are still missing some things that God wants us to begin to see? Does He want us to learn to see the smoke before we see the fire? Does He want us to see the problem before there is even smoke? Is He using these things to help mature and make the bride of Christ more discerning?

Please do not be offended, but I once heard a spiritual leader, a Charismatic leader, teaching on the spirit of the Antichrist. He said that the Charismatic movement was a prime candidate for the manifestation of the spirit of the Antichrist. Among other things, the leader said that the movement was lawless (not governed properly), largely ignorant of Scripture, and wild about spiritual gifts. He was cautioning that the devil can take advantage of those things. He added that he still believed that the Charismatic movement was of God. There is a case for everything that he said being proven true over the last few years, but God in His mercy is wanting to correct and mature all of His people, including those whom some call “the wild and crazy Charismatics.” (LOL-No offense intended.)

Not all Christians are gifted with the gift of discernment. All can, however, grow in the Word and have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Could it be that either type of discernment would have revealed that the people mentioned in this message were off track and out from under the anointing of God before things were made public? Was it necessary for things to be made public before being recognized and addressed, or could the problems have been addressed before they were manifested publicly? Discernment of the difference between false, carnal, immature, and mature ministers is needed in all parts of the Church, but especially in what is called the Charismatic movement.

May God help us! May He correct all parts of His Church and unify us in faith so that we can be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Thanks for those who are loving and bold enough to address publicly-known issues, but may we all grow in having our senses trained to discern both good and evil. May God raise up true prophets with discernment to speak to the whole Church! May what man has called the "Charismatic Movement" wake up and become what God always intended. This is much bigger than what is seen by the eye. All glory is to Jesus Christ!
_____________________________

Study this week: Matthew 24:4-5; Acts 13:6-10; 1 Cor. 4:12; 1 Cor. 12:1-11; Hebrews 5:12-14